NSG: Nuclear Suppliers Group

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Basic Introduction
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Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a congregation of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by limiting the export of materials, equipment and technology which can be deployed to manufacture nuclear weapons.

The NSG was founded in response to the Indian nuclear test in May 1974 and in November 1975, the first meeting of NSG was organised. The test concluded that there is specific non-weapons specific nuclear technology which could be easily turned to weapons development. When founded, the NSG had seven participating members. But as of 2016, the NSG has 48 members.

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Why was India keen to be a member of NSG?
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● To push indigenous technology - India can sell its Indigenous technology on the international platform. By this, India can boast its domestic and riveting scheme viz ‘Make in India’.
● To gain the right to deploy foreign technology - By becoming the member of NSG, India would have accessed those hi-tech foreign technologies. It means that India would use those sophisticated ones in its indigenous projects.
● Access to nuclear equipment – If India would have get the membership, it can access those critical assets through which nuclear reactors can be built.
● Simplified International trade – By becoming the member, it can expand its international trade base of Export and Import.

Since 2010, India had constantly pressing some Kingpins of the group to seek the membership. Countries like United States, France, United Kingdom, Russia, Switzerland, Japan, Mexico, Britain, and Canada were persuaded for the membership.

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What went wrong?
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In spite intense lobbying manoeuvres by the Indian govt, why did India fail to enter the NSG? The unfavourable outcome for India has been described as an "embarrassment", a “car wreck" a “fiasco,” and an abortive bid where India "found itself alone". Most of the speculators opine that it is predictably none but China’s opposition due to which India faced odds.

Following is a list of most probable causes of ‘India being standing alone at odds’-
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● Instead of being a signatory of nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), India wasted a good amount of diplomatic capital in foreign tours and concords

● Back-stabbed by amicable partner countries like China, Brazil, Switzerland, Mexico and Turkey due to miscalculation and under estimation.

● Rationalist theory of International politics – The final and the main cause depicts that India’s collision with China as a noetic and strategic gambit. ‘Rationalist theories of international politics' reveals that opposing diplomatically can reveal information about the strategic environment including the resolve and capabilities of adversaries and allies.

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What experts say?
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According to different analysts, India’s inability to secure membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at Seoul is a diplomatic setback, not terminal failure. The NSG has not shut the door for India instead entire members have concluded to continue the discussions.

Beijing’s trust on international norms to get rid of India’s NSG membership indicated India and the rest of the world an opportunity to level China to the same level of abidance with international law in certain other avenues for instance the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in its disputes over islands in the South China Sea. The real reason for China’s opposition is not even its friendly nation, Pakistan. On the contrary, it is the access to technology that India would have earned through membership of the NSG and other technology control regimes.